THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A two-day regional conference on ‘Human-Wildlife Conflict and Co-Existence: Legal and Policy Perspectives’, organised by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA), began in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. The event brought together judges of the Supreme Court, several High Courts, and eminent legal experts to deliberate on the growing challenges of human-animal conflict and the legal frameworks required to address them.

Delivering the keynote address, Justice Vikram Nath, Supreme Court Judge and Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, said India’s cultural traditions had long seen humans and wildlife as part of one ecosystem.

“Our festivals, folklore, and rituals reflect this interconnectedness. In Kerala, elephants are not just part of forests but also of temple traditions. “Somewhere along the way, we lost this balance, leading to the conflicts we face today,” he observed.

He emphasised that the Constitution, particularly Article 21 guaranteeing the right to life, has been interpreted by courts to include the right to a clean and healthy environment. “We need a unified framework that integrates forest, wildlife, and disaster management policies,” he added.

Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court and Patron-in-Chief of KeLSA, Justice Nitin Jamdar, observed that while humans and wildlife had coexisted for centuries, this balance was now under severe strain.

“The most affected are tribal people and marginalised communities, who deserve the protective umbrella of legal services authorities. What is required is a holistic approach, grounded in the principle of interdependence between humans and wildlife, which forms the foundation for addressing ecological challenges,” he said.